We are Grace Covenant Baptist Church: a“Confessional Church”. We have adopted the 1689Second London Baptist Confession of Faith as thestatement of our doctrinal convictions. We hold thishistorical standard as subordinate to the Word of God.We here reprint The Abstract of Principles, a summaryof our Confession originally written by the founders ofThe Southern Baptist Seminary in 1858.

I. The ScripturesThe Scriptures of the Old and New Testament weregiven by inspiration of God, and are the onlysufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all savingknowledge, faith and obedience.

II. GodThere is but one God, the Maker, Preserver andRuler of all things, having in & of Himself, allperfections, and being infinite in them all; and to Himall creatures owe the highest love, reverence andobedience.

III. The TrinityGod is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spiriteach with distinct personal attributes, but withoutdivision of nature, essence or being.

IV. ProvidenceGod from eternity, decrees or permits all thingsthat come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directsand governs all creatures and all events; yet so as notto destroy the free will and responsibility ofintelligent creatures.

V. ElectionElection is God's eternal choice of some personsunto everlasting life — not because of foreseenmerit in them, but of His mere mercy in Christ —in consequence of which choice they are called,justified and glorified.

VI. The Fall of ManGod originally created man in His own image, andfree from sin; but, through the temptation ofSatan, he transgressed the command of God, andfell from his original holiness and righteousness;whereby his posterity inherit a nature corrupt andwholly opposed to God and His law, are undercondemnation, and as soon as they are capable ofmoral action, become actual transgressors.

VII. The MediatorJesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is thedivinely appointed mediator between God andman. Having taken upon Himself human nature,yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the Law,suffered and died upon the cross for the salvationof sinners. He was buried, and rose again the thirdday, and ascended to His Father, at whose hand Heever lives to make intercession for His people.He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest andKing of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe.

VIII. RegenerationRegeneration is a change of heart, wrought bythe Holy Spirit, who quickens the dead intrespasses and sins enlightening their mindsspiritually and savingly to understand the Word ofGod, and renewing their whole nature, so that theylove and practice holiness. It is a work of God'sfree and special grace alone.

IX. RepentanceRepentance is an evangelical grace, wherein aperson being, by the Holy Spirit, made sensible ofthe manifold evil of his sin, humbles himself forit, with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrence,with a purpose and endeavor to walkbefore God so as to please Him in all things.

X. FaithSaving faith is the belief, on God's authority, ofwhatsoever is revealed in His Word concerningChrist; accepting and resting upon Him alone forjustification and eternal life. It is wrought in theheart by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by allother saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness.

XI. JustificationJustification is God's gracious and full acquittal ofsinners, who believe in Christ, from all sin,through the satisfaction that Christ has made; notfor anything wrought in them or done by them;but on account of the obedience and satisfaction ofChrist, they receiving and resting on Him and Hisrighteousness by faith.

XII. SanctificationThose who have been regenerated are alsosanctified, by God's Word and Spirit dwelling inthem. This sanctification is progressive throughthe supply of Divine strength, which all saintsseek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life incordial obedience to all Christ's commands.

XIII. Perseverance of the SaintsThose whom God has accepted in the Beloved, andsanctified by His Spirit, will never totally norfinally fall away from the state of grace, but shallcertainly persevere to the end; and though theymay fall, through neglect and temptation, into sin,whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their gracesand comforts, bring reproach on the Church, andtemporal judgments on themselves, yet they shallbe renewed again unto repentance, and be kept bythe power of God through faith unto salvation.

XIV. The ChurchThe Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, whichis composed of all His true disciples, and in Him isinvested supremely all power for its government.According to his commandment, Christians are toassociate themselves into particular societies orchurches; and to each of these churches He hasgiven needful authority for administering thatorder, discipline and worship which He hasappointed. The regular officers of a Church are... Elders and Deacons.

XV. BaptismBaptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus,obligatory upon every believer, wherein he isimmersed in water in the name of the Father, andof the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of hisfellowship with the death and resurrection ofChrist, of remission of sins, and of his giving himselfup to God, to live and walk in newness of life. It isprerequisite to church fellowship, and toparticipation in the Lord's Supper.

XVI. The Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ,to be administered with the elements of bread andwine, and to be observed by his churches till theend of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate his death, toconfirm the faith and other graces of Christians, andto be a bond, pledge and renewal of theircommunion with him, and of their churchfellowship.

XVII. The Lord's DayThe Lord's Day is a Christian institution forregular observance, and should be employed inexercises of worship and spiritual devotion, bothpublic and private, resting from worldlyemployments and amusements, works of necessityand mercy only excepted.

XVIII. Liberty of ConscienceGod alone is Lord of the conscience; and He hasleft it free from the doctrines and commandmentsof men, which are in anything contrary to Hisword, or not contained in it. Civil magistratesare ordained of God. Subjection in all lawfulthing commanded by them ought to be yieldedby us in the Lord, not only for wrath, but also forconscience sake.

XIX. The ResurrectionThe bodies of men after death return to dust, buttheir spirits return immediately to God — therighteous to rest with Him; the wicked to bereserved under darkness to the Judgment. At thelast day, the bodies of all the dead, both just &unjust, will be raised.

XX. The JudgmentGod has appointed a day, wherein He will judgethe world by Jesus Christ, when every one shallreceive according to his deeds; the wicked shallgo into everlasting punishment; the righteous,into everlasting life.

I write so that you may know how one oughtto conduct himself in the household of God,which is the church of the loving God,the pillar & support of the truth.1 Timothy 3:15

Be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantlynourished on the words of faith & of the sounddoctrine which you have been following.1 Timothy 4:6

Retain the standard of sound wordswhich you have heard from me,in the faith & love which are in Christ Jesus.2 Timothy 1:13